Hours of sitting at computers, driving to work and then watching TV at home, all lead to being less physically fit, posture-related aches and pains and a general feeling of sluggishness. Then you get to the golf course and wonder why you simply just don't have the energy to complete a nice round of golf.
Golf is no different than any other sport. You need to be physcially fit to perform at your best. This is even more important if your a recreational golfer since you really don't have time to practice.
One of the most natural forms of exercise is walking. Walking is an aerobic exercise that will not only increase your cardiovascular strength, but is good for the bones and improves your posture as well. I would like to introduce you to power walking and list some of the benefits it has on your golf game.
Power Walking
This is a form of aerobic exercise consisting of rapid walking accompanied by vigorous, controlled swinging of the arms. Simply put, it is an exaggerated walking style that has more health benefits than just a casual stroll.
You want to get your power walking speed up to 4.0 to 4.5 mph for optimal calorie burning. However, if you are just starting out you may want to go at a slower pace and gradually pick up the pace over a few weeks time.
Power Walking Benefits
1. Cardiovascular fitness is improved thus giving you more endurance to complete a full round of golf, not to mention reducing the risk of coronary disease and strokes.
2. Mental well-being is improved resulting in a reduction in anxiety, stress and tension allowing you to relax and focus on the golf course.
3. Muscles are toned and strengthened allowing you to better handle the physical demands of the golf swing.
4. Helps to reduce body fat and manage your body weight therefore improving your golf physic.
5. Boosts energy so you don't tire as easily going form shot to shot.
The above are just a few of the physical and mental benefits to be gained from power walking for golf. It is a low cost form of exercise. No special clothes or equipment are necessary except a good pair of walking shoes.
Although any form of walking is beneficial, power walking is extremely helpful with golf performance, both mentally and physically. So grab your walking shoes and power walk yourself to a better golf game!
As always consult your doctor before starting your power walking program.
The mental golf game is played in many different forms. The answers always amaze me that I receive when I ask a simple mental golf game question. "On the first tee in front of 100 people, would you rather hit a perfect drive and proceed to play one of your worst rounds of golf OR would you rather top your first shot on the first tee and go on to shoot your career round?"
I find it hard to believe that people have to think about the answer as long as they do! Most golfers are more worried about what others think or perceive than what actually happens on the golf course.
Remind me, the goal is to go as low as you can go right? As far as I know, there are no style points or a remarks column on a scorecard. HAHA Not to go "Dr. Phil" on you but, you can not control what others think so control what YOU can control with your mental golf game. This would include your breathing, being your own best caddy and how you evaluate a golf shot.
No matter what the situation is on the first tee or eighteenth green, your mental golf game must be able to control your breathing. When we are in stressful situations, it is important to monitor your breathing. It is pretty simple, in order to perform at peak levels, your body needs oxygen.
When we find ourselves in tense situations, our breathing tends to become shallow. This does not give our bodies the oxygen levels to perform at our highest level. To feel relaxed, focused and energetic you must make a conscious effort to control your breathing.
While on the golf course, your mental golf game must include being your own best caddy. You know what I am talking about however, may not have thought about it this way before. That little voice in your head can be a positive or negative influence on your mental golf game.
The amazing part is that you get to decide if it is going to help you or hurt you! Here is your chance to have that positive caddy from the PGA or LPGA tour with you! How would they help you?
You would now confidently gather the information about your next golf shot and trust it because of its source. What would your caddy tell you after a good shot? More importantly, what would they tell you after a not so good shot?
A professional caddy would look at the situation as a challenge and in a very matter of fact way attempt to find the best way to get the ball into the hole from the position the ball is currently. I promise you they would not use some of the words that you do to talk about yourself.
In the mental golf game book, The Greatest Player Who Never Lived, Michael Veron wrote on this very topic of being your own best caddy. The Greatest Player Who Never Lived is a fun, entertaining and easy read.
With your mental golf game, you have the ability to control how you evaluate a golf shot once it is over. From a balanced finish, evaluate what went well and what could have been a "do-better." You can control that.
In conjunction with your instructor, come up with a couple of points that you can evaluate at the end of your golf swing. For example, are you in balance and what level was your tension through impact? These evaluation points are endless and need to be tailored to what you are currently working to improve your game. The evaluation points do not need to change every other golf swing.
Improving your mental golf game is up to you and controlling what you can control. To improve your mental golf game, monitor your breathing, be your own best caddy and then calmly evaluate what went right and what could be a do-better. These three simple suggestions that you can control will improve your mental golf game sooner rather than later and lower your scores.
Both Richard Syner & Max Johnson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Richard Syner has sinced written about articles on various topics from Build Muscle, Fitness and Pilates Exercise. Richard Syner is a physical therapist who enjoys helping people reach their health and fitness goals. Go to